Three Underwood Standard 5 typewriters arrived in the shop the same week. So I wound up working on them at the same time. I like the really old Underwood machines for the simplicity and enjoy experiencing the changes Underwood made to this model as the years progressed. These Three Amigos are from 1909, 1916 and 1923. 1909 Underwood 5 (left typewriter in the photo) was spray oiled so needed some time getting degreased in the solvent station. I … [Read more...]

This is a customers Royal KMM machine from 1945 brought in after being a display in their shop for a very, very long time. This is just about as Americana as you can get with typewriter art. What a great object! Sooo dirty with missing carriage bearings and a broken carriage return lever. Oh yes, a dropped typewriter along with all the damage that comes with it. Oh, and add a touch of rust in many wrong places. This baby was jammed and only … [Read more...]

This mighty Olympia SG1 from 1958 is a customer machine brought in for a bunch of deferred maintenance. This guy had a bit of corrosion all over which complicated the clean up. Multiple sticking keys, tabs not working, margin lock hung up . . . the usual. What I like about this machine is the custom keyboard with the engineering symbols. Plus the type face is double gothic! … [Read more...]

This big lunker of a L.C.Smith Standard #8 typewriter from the Year 1918 is a customers. In for major clean up, a new platen, new paper rollers, new feet and removing decades of decrepitude. This baby had a heavy layer of shellac which remarkably saved the decals. Of course that stuff was smeared over much of the internals. Fortunately denatured alcohol works its wonder. All in all a nice gift for a typewriter enthusiast. … [Read more...]

This Remington Standard 10 typewriter is a customers machine from 1911, serial 175224. The machine was a recent purchase and had the typical tobacco residue and had been repainted a few times. Not your professional paint job; just a user or three brushing on a few black strokes to cover wear. This big old guy needed much love and attention to get it running again. The list; a heavy and detailed cleaning due to all those tobacco resins, … [Read more...]

This L.C. Smith Standard 8 typewriter from 1915 is a customer machine brought in after decades of decrepitude. Way more filth and rust than I like to see on any machine. Even had multiple beetle carcasses throughout.  This one is in the shop for a heavy and detailed cleaning, tune up and new feet.   Into the sonicator go all the small parts and as much of the carriage bright work as I can fit. A much needed vacuuming and bath were … [Read more...]

This Smith-Corona Silent-Super customer machine came to the shop for a new platen and a good cleaning. It had been previously been spray oiled and the type bars were all gummed up. I "love" these oiled machines. It takes several degreasing steps to get everything unwound. After the third degrease cycle the type bar rest disintegrated so I replaced it with new hard felt. And then adjusting several type bar links, again this guy types … [Read more...]

This customer machine was in for service, needing frame spacers and the typewriter had a missing screw and nut on the tab rack. I did not originally see the missing items when the machine came in for service. During preliminary testing after the cleaning, I thought "Hmmm why aren't the tabs working?". Turned the typewriter around and discovered the flopping tab rack! The machine has a really nice Olympia SM3 Professional Elite No. 41 Type … [Read more...]

This Sears Pullman Model A portable typewriter is a customer machine in for a clean up for presentation. These models were built from 1908 through 1915 through catalog sales. This under strike machine is too far gone to make fully functional so we elected to have this family heirloom become a nice show piece in the home. Everything got a good cleaning, corroded and missing springs either reformed and reconnected, new feet, add a … [Read more...]

I love it when one of my customers brings in a machine that you don't see often. While you see Rheinmetall portable typewriters, the large standard machines are few and far far away. This full featured GS beast is from 1950, serial number 12250. It is a recent customer purchase brought in for a cleaning, tune up and the tabs were hanging up. The machine features ease of service as the carriage assembly lifts off with a twist of knobs on each … [Read more...]